Soccer|Carli Lloyd and Jill Ellis Take FIFA’s Top Player and Coach Honors

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Carli Lloyd and Jill Ellis Take FIFA’s Top Player and Coach Honors

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Carli Lloyd at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Vancouver, Canada, in July. On Monday, Lloyd won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Award.CreditCreditElaine Thompson/Associated Press

By The Associated Press

Jan. 11, 2016

ZURICH — Carli Lloyd, the captain of the United States team that won the Women’s World Cup last year, won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Award on Monday.

Jill Ellis, the United States team’s coach, won the Women’s Coach of the Year Award. Lionel Messi, the star forward for Barcelona and Argentina and a four-time previous winner, and Barcelona’s Luis Enrique won the player and coach honors on the men’s side.

Lloyd, 33, on the ballot for the first time, dominated a worldwide vote and collected the award at FIFA’s annual awards ceremony in Zurich.

“I honestly wouldn’t be sitting up here — standing up here — without my incredible teammates,” Lloyd said in an emotional acceptance speech.

She stood out at the World Cup by scoring six goals, including a stunning hat trick in the opening 16 minutes of a 5-2 rout of Japan in the tournament final.

Lloyd, of New Jersey, received more than 35 percent of votes from national team captains and coaches, as well as invited journalists, on a 10-player ballot.

Celia Sasic of Germany got 12.6 percent of the votes, for second place, and Aya Miyama of Japan got almost 10 percent, for third.

Ellis won the women’s coaching award ahead of two men: Norio Sasaki of Japan and Mark Sampson, who led England to third place at the World Cup.

The English-born Ellis received 42.98 percent of the votes, ahead of Sasaki, at 17.79 percent, and Sampson, at 10.68 percent.

The Americans last swept the women’s awards after their 2012 Olympic title, when forward Abby Wambach and the Swedish-born coach Pia Sundhage were rewarded.

Messi won his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-year hold on the award. Messi was the runner-up in those two years.

“It’s a very special moment for me to be back here on the stage after being there in the audience watching Cristiano win,” said Messi, 28, who won four straight FIFA awards from 2009 to 2012.

Five major titles for Barcelona last year — and none for Ronaldo’s Real Madrid — brought the golden ball back into Messi’s hands. It was not even close.

Messi received 41.33 percent of total voting points among 23 candidates on the ballot. Ronaldo received 27.76 percent, and Neymar, Messi’s Barcelona teammate from Brazil, received 7.86 percent.

As usual, Messi, the Argentina captain, and Ronaldo, the Portugal captain, ignored each other on their own ballot papers. Messi voted for three Barcelona teammates, and Ronaldo listed three Madrid colleagues. However, Portugal Coach Fernando Santos listed Messi second after Ronaldo.

It was a stellar night for Barcelona.

Enrique was named best coach after guiding Barcelona to titles in the Champions League, the Spanish Liga and cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

Barcelona also swept the men’s awards in 2011, when Messi and Pep Guardiola won after a previous Champions League title.

Guardiola, now coaching Bayern Munich, placed second to his former teammate Enrique, receiving 22.97 percent against Enrique’s 31.08 percent.